Labour market statistics provide a picture of the New Zealand labour market, including unemployment and employment rates, demand for labour, and changes in wages and salaries.
Key facts
In the March 2025 quarter, compared with the December 2024 quarter, the:
- unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.1 percent
- underutilisation rate was 12.3 percent, compared with 12.1 percent
- employment rate was 67.2 percent, compared with 67.3 percent.
In the year to the March 2025 quarter:
- all salary and wage rates (including overtime) increased 2.9 percent
- average weekly earnings (including overtime) for full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) increased to $1,666 from $1,593
- average ordinary time hourly earnings increased to $42.79 from $40.96.
Labour market measures |
March 2025 |
Quarterly |
Annual |
|
Employment at a glance (seasonally adjusted, HLFS) |
Percent |
Percentage points |
||
Unemployment rate |
5.1 |
0.0 |
0.7 |
|
Underutilisation rate |
12.3 |
0.1 |
1.1 |
|
Employment rate |
67.2 |
-0.1 |
-1.2 |
|
Labour force participation rate |
70.8 |
-0.1 |
-0.7 |
|
(000) |
Percent |
|||
Unemployed |
156 |
0.3 |
16.5 |
|
Underutilised |
390 |
1.6 |
9.7 |
|
Employed |
2914 |
0.1 |
-0.7 |
|
Working-age population |
4335 |
0.2 |
1.1 |
|
Wages at a glance (not seasonally adjusted) |
Index |
Percent |
||
Wage inflation (salary and wage rates, including overtime, LCI) |
All sectors |
1422 |
0.5 |
2.9 |
Private sector |
1420 |
0.4 |
2.6 |
|
Public sector |
1443 |
0.9 |
4.2 |
|
LCI analytical unadjusted |
1736 |
0.9 |
4.1 |
|
Dollars |
Percent |
|||
Average ordinary time hourly earnings (QES) |
42.79 |
0.5 |
4.5 |
|
Hours at a glance (seasonally adjusted) |
Hours |
Percent |
||
Average weekly paid hours for FTEs (QES) |
Ordinary time |
38.25 |
0.4 |
0.2 |
Total |
38.83 |
0.5 |
0.1 |
|
Hours (millions) |
Percent |
|||
Total weekly paid hours (QES) |
74.1 |
-0.1 |
-2.0 |
|
Total actual weekly hours worked (HLFS) |
96.3 |
-0.3 |
-2.9 |
|
Note: LCI - labour cost index QES - Quarterly Employment Survey HLFS - Household Labour Force Survey FTEs - full-time equivalent employees Due to rounding, changes do not always sum to the published totals. |
||||
Unemployment
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.1 percent in the March 2025 quarter, unchanged from last quarter.
- For men, the unemployment rate was 4.9 percent, compared with 4.9 percent last quarter.
- For women, the unemployment rate was 5.3 percent, compared with 5.3 percent last quarter.
The seasonally adjusted number of unemployed people remained at 156,000, comprising 78,000 men and 78,000 women.
| Quarter | Men | Women | Total |
| Mar-11 | 5.7 | 6.4 | 6 |
| Jun-11 | 6 | 6.1 | 6.1 |
| Sep-11 | 5.6 | 6.3 | 6 |
| Dec-11 | 6.1 | 6 | 6.1 |
| Mar-12 | 6.1 | 6.7 | 6.4 |
| Jun-12 | 6.2 | 6.7 | 6.4 |
| Sep-12 | 6.6 | 6.9 | 6.7 |
| Dec-12 | 6 | 6.7 | 6.3 |
| Mar-13 | 5.2 | 6.5 | 5.8 |
| Jun-13 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 6 |
| Sep-13 | 5.5 | 6.2 | 5.8 |
| Dec-13 | 5 | 6.4 | 5.7 |
| Mar-14 | 5.1 | 6.1 | 5.6 |
| Jun-14 | 4.6 | 6 | 5.3 |
| Sep-14 | 4.6 | 6.1 | 5.3 |
| Dec-14 | 4.8 | 6.3 | 5.5 |
| Mar-15 | 5.2 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
| Jun-15 | 4.8 | 6.3 | 5.5 |
| Sep-15 | 5.2 | 6.1 | 5.7 |
| Dec-15 | 4.7 | 5.3 | 5 |
| Mar-16 | 5 | 5.6 | 5.3 |
| Jun-16 | 4.7 | 5.5 | 5.1 |
| Sep-16 | 4.7 | 5.3 | 5 |
| Dec-16 | 4.8 | 5.8 | 5.3 |
| Mar-17 | 4.3 | 5.6 | 4.9 |
| Jun-17 | 4.8 | 5 | 4.9 |
| Sep-17 | 4.1 | 5.4 | 4.7 |
| Dec-17 | 4 | 5 | 4.5 |
| Mar-18 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 4.4 |
| Jun-18 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 4.6 |
| Sep-18 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Dec-18 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.3 |
| Mar-19 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.2 |
| Jun-19 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 4 |
| Sep-19 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 4.1 |
| Dec-19 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 4.1 |
| Mar-20 | 4 | 4.4 | 4.2 |
| Jun-20 | 3.6 | 4.6 | 4.1 |
| Sep-20 | 4.8 | 5.6 | 5.2 |
| Dec-20 | 4.5 | 5.4 | 4.9 |
| Mar-21 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.6 |
| Jun-21 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4 |
| Sep-21 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| Dec-21 | 3 | 3.4 | 3.2 |
| Mar-22 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.2 |
| Jun-22 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.3 |
| Sep-22 | 2.8 | 3.7 | 3.3 |
| Dec-22 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.4 |
| Mar-23 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.4 |
| Jun-23 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.6 |
| Sep-23 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 3.9 |
| Dec-23 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 4 |
| Mar-24 | 4 | 4.8 | 4.4 |
| Jun-24 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.6 |
| Sep-24 | 4.7 | 5 | 4.8 |
| Dec-24 | 4.9 | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Mar-25 | 4.9 | 5.3 | 5.1 |
Underutilisation
The seasonally adjusted underutilisation rate was 12.3 percent this quarter, compared with 12.1 percent last quarter.
- For men, the underutilisation rate was 10.4 percent, compared with 10.6 percent last quarter.
- For women, the underutilisation rate was 14.3 percent, compared with 13.8 percent last quarter.
| Quarter | Men | Women | Total |
| Mar-11 | 11.4 | 16.9 | 14 |
| Jun-11 | 12.1 | 16.3 | 14.1 |
| Sep-11 | 11.1 | 16.4 | 13.6 |
| Dec-11 | 12.1 | 15.5 | 13.7 |
| Mar-12 | 11.7 | 16.8 | 14.1 |
| Jun-12 | 11.9 | 17.8 | 14.7 |
| Sep-12 | 13.5 | 17.7 | 15.6 |
| Dec-12 | 12.4 | 17.3 | 14.7 |
| Mar-13 | 10.4 | 15.9 | 13 |
| Jun-13 | 10.6 | 16.2 | 13.3 |
| Sep-13 | 11.1 | 17.3 | 14.1 |
| Dec-13 | 11.1 | 17.1 | 14 |
| Mar-14 | 10.9 | 15.8 | 13.2 |
| Jun-14 | 10.5 | 16.4 | 13.3 |
| Sep-14 | 10.2 | 15.6 | 12.8 |
| Dec-14 | 10.5 | 16.4 | 13.3 |
| Mar-15 | 10.8 | 16.6 | 13.6 |
| Jun-15 | 10.6 | 16.9 | 13.6 |
| Sep-15 | 11.2 | 16.5 | 13.7 |
| Dec-15 | 10.1 | 15 | 12.5 |
| Mar-16 | 11.2 | 16.3 | 13.7 |
| Jun-16 | 10.5 | 15.9 | 13.1 |
| Sep-16 | 10 | 15.6 | 12.7 |
| Dec-16 | 9.7 | 15.4 | 12.4 |
| Mar-17 | 9.3 | 15.5 | 12.3 |
| Jun-17 | 9.5 | 14.7 | 12 |
| Sep-17 | 9.3 | 15.2 | 12.1 |
| Dec-17 | 9.4 | 15.3 | 12.2 |
| Mar-18 | 9.5 | 14.6 | 11.9 |
| Jun-18 | 9.9 | 14.5 | 12.1 |
| Sep-18 | 9.3 | 13.6 | 11.3 |
| Dec-18 | 10 | 14.6 | 12.2 |
| Mar-19 | 9 | 13.9 | 11.3 |
| Jun-19 | 9.2 | 13.2 | 11.1 |
| Sep-19 | 8.4 | 12.5 | 10.3 |
| Dec-19 | 8.4 | 12 | 10.1 |
| Mar-20 | 8.3 | 12.8 | 10.4 |
| Jun-20 | 9.4 | 15 | 12 |
| Sep-20 | 10.6 | 15.9 | 13.1 |
| Dec-20 | 9.7 | 14.4 | 11.9 |
| Mar-21 | 9.9 | 14.6 | 12.1 |
| Jun-21 | 8.3 | 13 | 10.5 |
| Sep-21 | 7.7 | 10.8 | 9.2 |
| Dec-21 | 7.4 | 11.2 | 9.2 |
| Mar-22 | 7.7 | 11.1 | 9.3 |
| Jun-22 | 7.5 | 11.1 | 9.2 |
| Sep-22 | 7.3 | 10.8 | 9 |
| Dec-22 | 7.5 | 11.4 | 9.4 |
| Mar-23 | 7.4 | 10.9 | 9.1 |
| Jun-23 | 8.1 | 11.8 | 9.9 |
| Sep-23 | 8.6 | 12.4 | 10.4 |
| Dec-23 | 8.6 | 13 | 10.7 |
| Mar-24 | 9.3 | 13.3 | 11.2 |
| Jun-24 | 10 | 13.7 | 11.8 |
| Sep-24 | 10.2 | 13.1 | 11.6 |
| Dec-24 | 10.6 | 13.8 | 12.1 |
| Mar-25 | 10.4 | 14.3 | 12.3 |
In the March 2025 quarter, the number of underutilised people was 390,000, compared with 384,000 last quarter. The total consisted of 217,000 women and 173,000 men.
Underutilisation is a broad measure of spare capacity in New Zealand's labour market and is as important as the unemployment rate, as it gives us a more detailed picture of the workforce.
Employment
The seasonally adjusted employment rate this quarter was 67.2 percent, compared with 67.3 percent last quarter.
- For men, the employment rate was 71.4 percent, unchanged from last quarter.
- For women, the employment rate was 63.1 percent, compared with 63.3 percent last quarter.
| Quarter | Men | Women | Total |
| Mar-11 | 69.9 | 58.1 | 63.8 |
| Jun-11 | 69.7 | 58.4 | 63.8 |
| Sep-11 | 70.1 | 58 | 63.9 |
| Dec-11 | 69.6 | 58.1 | 63.7 |
| Mar-12 | 69.8 | 58.1 | 63.7 |
| Jun-12 | 69.2 | 58.4 | 63.6 |
| Sep-12 | 68.7 | 58.3 | 63.3 |
| Dec-12 | 68.7 | 58.1 | 63.3 |
| Mar-13 | 68.9 | 58.1 | 63.3 |
| Jun-13 | 69.1 | 58.1 | 63.4 |
| Sep-13 | 69.9 | 58.8 | 64.1 |
| Dec-13 | 70.4 | 58.8 | 64.4 |
| Mar-14 | 70.6 | 59.3 | 64.8 |
| Jun-14 | 70.8 | 58.9 | 64.7 |
| Sep-14 | 70.6 | 59.6 | 64.9 |
| Dec-14 | 71 | 60.2 | 65.5 |
| Mar-15 | 71.2 | 60.2 | 65.5 |
| Jun-15 | 71.1 | 59.7 | 65.3 |
| Sep-15 | 70.1 | 59.2 | 64.5 |
| Dec-15 | 70.5 | 59.6 | 64.9 |
| Mar-16 | 70.7 | 60.2 | 65.3 |
| Jun-16 | 71.9 | 61.2 | 66.5 |
| Sep-16 | 72.4 | 61.1 | 66.6 |
| Dec-16 | 72.5 | 61.7 | 67 |
| Mar-17 | 73.2 | 61.8 | 67.4 |
| Jun-17 | 72.7 | 61.5 | 67 |
| Sep-17 | 73.5 | 62.4 | 67.8 |
| Dec-17 | 73.5 | 62.6 | 68 |
| Mar-18 | 73.4 | 62.8 | 68 |
| Jun-18 | 73.1 | 62.9 | 67.9 |
| Sep-18 | 73.2 | 63.4 | 68.2 |
| Dec-18 | 72.7 | 63.2 | 67.8 |
| Mar-19 | 72.5 | 62.9 | 67.6 |
| Jun-19 | 72.5 | 63.1 | 67.8 |
| Sep-19 | 72.6 | 63 | 67.7 |
| Dec-19 | 72.5 | 62.7 | 67.5 |
| Mar-20 | 72.8 | 62.8 | 67.7 |
| Jun-20 | 72.4 | 62.1 | 67.2 |
| Sep-20 | 71.8 | 61.2 | 66.4 |
| Dec-20 | 72 | 61.6 | 66.7 |
| Mar-21 | 72.1 | 62.3 | 67.2 |
| Jun-21 | 72.7 | 62.9 | 67.8 |
| Sep-21 | 73.1 | 64.5 | 68.8 |
| Dec-21 | 73.2 | 64.4 | 68.7 |
| Mar-22 | 73.3 | 64.2 | 68.7 |
| Jun-22 | 73 | 64.1 | 68.5 |
| Sep-22 | 73.8 | 64.9 | 69.3 |
| Dec-22 | 74 | 64.9 | 69.4 |
| Mar-23 | 74.1 | 65.3 | 69.6 |
| Jun-23 | 74.3 | 65.3 | 69.8 |
| Sep-23 | 73.9 | 64.6 | 69.2 |
| Dec-23 | 73.6 | 64.5 | 69 |
| Mar-24 | 72.8 | 64.1 | 68.4 |
| Jun-24 | 72.6 | 64.2 | 68.3 |
| Sep-24 | 71.8 | 63.7 | 67.7 |
| Dec-24 | 71.4 | 63.3 | 67.3 |
| Mar-25 | 71.4 | 63.1 | 67.2 |
In the March 2025 quarter, 2,914,000 people were employed. Of this number, 79.5 percent worked full-time and 20.5 percent worked part-time.
People are classified as being employed part-time if they usually work less than 30 hours per week.
In the March 2025 quarter, compared with the March 2024 quarter:
- 45,000 fewer people were employed full-time
- 25,000 more people were employed part-time.
Labour force participation
The seasonally adjusted labour force participation rate was 70.8 percent this quarter, compared with 70.9 percent last quarter.
- For men, the labour force participation rate was 75.1 percent, unchanged from last quarter.
- For women, the labour force participation rate was 66.6 percent, compared with 66.8 percent last quarter.
There were 1,265,000 people not in the labour force (NILF) this quarter, compared with 1,258,000 last quarter.
Youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET)
In the March 2025 quarter, the seasonally adjusted proportion of people aged 15 to 24 years who were not in employment, education, or training (NEET) was 12.9 percent, compared with 13.4 percent last quarter.
- The NEET rate for people aged 15 to 19 was 10.2 percent, compared with 10.7 percent last quarter.
- The NEET rate for people aged 20 to 24 was 15.7 percent, compared with 16.3 percent last quarter.
Wages
The labour cost index (LCI) all salary and wage rates measure (including overtime) increased 2.9 percent in the year to the March 2025 quarter, while the unadjusted LCI increased 4.1 percent.
- Private sector wages increased 2.6 percent over the year.
- Public sector wages increased 4.2 percent over the year.
The LCI is often compared with the consumers price index (CPI) to see how wage inflation compares with consumer inflation (the change in prices of goods and services bought by households). Annual CPI inflation was 2.5 percent in the year to the March 2025 quarter.
| Quarter | LCI - all salary and wage rates | CPI - all groups |
| Mar-05 | 2.5 | 2.8 |
| Jun-05 | 2.7 | 2.8 |
| Sep-05 | 3.1 | 3.4 |
| Dec-05 | 3 | 3.2 |
| Mar-06 | 3.2 | 3.3 |
| Jun-06 | 3.1 | 4 |
| Sep-06 | 3.2 | 3.5 |
| Dec-06 | 3.2 | 2.6 |
| Mar-07 | 3.2 | 2.5 |
| Jun-07 | 3.3 | 2 |
| Sep-07 | 3.1 | 1.8 |
| Dec-07 | 3.3 | 3.2 |
| Mar-08 | 3.4 | 3.4 |
| Jun-08 | 3.6 | 4 |
| Sep-08 | 4 | 5.1 |
| Dec-08 | 3.5 | 3.4 |
| Mar-09 | 3.3 | 3 |
| Jun-09 | 2.8 | 1.9 |
| Sep-09 | 2.1 | 1.7 |
| Dec-09 | 1.8 | 2 |
| Mar-10 | 1.5 | 2 |
| Jun-10 | 1.6 | 1.7 |
| Sep-10 | 1.6 | 1.5 |
| Dec-10 | 1.7 | 4 |
| Mar-11 | 1.9 | 4.5 |
| Jun-11 | 1.9 | 5.3 |
| Sep-11 | 2 | 4.6 |
| Dec-11 | 2 | 1.8 |
| Mar-12 | 2 | 1.6 |
| Jun-12 | 2 | 1 |
| Sep-12 | 1.9 | 0.8 |
| Dec-12 | 1.8 | 0.9 |
| Mar-13 | 1.7 | 0.9 |
| Jun-13 | 1.7 | 0.7 |
| Sep-13 | 1.7 | 1.4 |
| Dec-13 | 1.6 | 1.6 |
| Mar-14 | 1.6 | 1.5 |
| Jun-14 | 1.7 | 1.6 |
| Sep-14 | 1.6 | 1 |
| Dec-14 | 1.8 | 0.8 |
| Mar-15 | 1.7 | 0.3 |
| Jun-15 | 1.6 | 0.4 |
| Sep-15 | 1.6 | 0.4 |
| Dec-15 | 1.5 | 0.1 |
| Mar-16 | 1.6 | 0.4 |
| Jun-16 | 1.5 | 0.4 |
| Sep-16 | 1.6 | 0.4 |
| Dec-16 | 1.6 | 1.3 |
| Mar-17 | 1.6 | 2.2 |
| Jun-17 | 1.7 | 1.7 |
| Sep-17 | 1.9 | 1.9 |
| Dec-17 | 1.8 | 1.6 |
| Mar-18 | 1.8 | 1.1 |
| Jun-18 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
| Sep-18 | 1.8 | 1.9 |
| Dec-18 | 1.9 | 1.9 |
| Mar-19 | 2 | 1.5 |
| Jun-19 | 2.1 | 1.7 |
| Sep-19 | 2.4 | 1.5 |
| Dec-19 | 2.6 | 1.9 |
| Mar-20 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Jun-20 | 2.1 | 1.5 |
| Sep-20 | 1.9 | 1.4 |
| Dec-20 | 1.6 | 1.4 |
| Mar-21 | 1.6 | 1.5 |
| Jun-21 | 2.1 | 3.3 |
| Sep-21 | 2.4 | 4.9 |
| Dec-21 | 2.6 | 5.9 |
| Mar-22 | 3 | 6.9 |
| Jun-22 | 3.4 | 7.3 |
| Sep-22 | 3.7 | 7.2 |
| Dec-22 | 4.1 | 7.2 |
| Mar-23 | 4.3 | 6.7 |
| Jun-23 | 4.3 | 6 |
| Sep-23 | 4.3 | 5.6 |
| Dec-23 | 4.3 | 4.7 |
| Mar-24 | 4.1 | 4 |
| Jun-24 | 4.3 | 3.3 |
| Sep-24 | 3.8 | 2.2 |
| Dec-24 | 3.3 | 2.2 |
| Mar-25 | 2.9 | 2.5 |
In the year to the March 2025 quarter, wages as measured by the Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) also grew. Average ordinary time hourly earnings increased to $42.79 (up 4.5 percent).
- Private sector average ordinary time hourly earnings increased 3.8 percent, to $40.46.
- Public sector average ordinary time hourly earnings increased 6.6 percent, to $51.66.
Average weekly earnings (including overtime) for full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) in the QES increased 4.6 percent to $1,666 over the year.
- Private sector average weekly earnings increased 4.2 percent, to $1,576.
- Public sector average weekly earnings increased 5.8 percent, to $2,010.
Data quality
Sample rotation in the Quarterly Employment Survey
In the March 2025 quarter, the QES sample was rotated for the following industries:
- Accommodation and food services
- Financial and insurance services.
Due to the rotation, the sampling error for quarterly movements in these industries is higher than in previous quarters. Movements in these industries should be interpreted alongside the accompanying sampling error information. This is especially important for the accommodation and food services industry, where low response rates among newly selected businesses further contribute to increased uncertainty.
Labour market statistics: March 2025 quarter - Period specific information - DataInfo+ has more detail on the impact of sample rotation and declining response rates on data quality, including changes made to our imputation model this quarter.
It is recommended that the Quarterly Employment Survey is used primarily for estimates of average hours and earnings. Customers should instead rely on monthly Employment indicators or Business employment data for job measures.
More data
Use Infoshare to access the labour market time series.
Subject category: Work income and spending
Group: Household labour force survey - HLF
Group: Quarterly employment survey - QEM
Group: Labour cost index - LCI
Definitions and metadata
Labour market statistics: March 2025 quarter - Period-specific information - DataInfo+ includes data quality notes for the March 2025 quarter, including response and achieved sample rates.
Labour market statistics - DataInfo+ gives general methodology used to produce this release, and related metadata.
Household Labour Force Survey - DataInfo+ gives general methodology used to produce Household Labour Force Survey statistics, and related metadata.
Labour cost index - DataInfo+ gives general methodology used to produce labour cost index statistics, and related metadata.
Quarterly Employment Survey - DataInfo+ gives general methodology used to produce Quarterly Employment Survey statistics, and related metadata.
Technical enquiries
Patrick Ongley
[email protected]
ISSN 2422-8699
Next release
Labour market statistics: June 2025 quarter will be released on 6 August 2025.
